Fanfold replacement ribbon package

ABSTRACT

A replacement ribbon package for ribbon cartridge assemblies. The package comprises a Mobius Loop ribbon arranged in full fanfold fashion within a channel-shaped ribbon holder. A semirigid stripper sheet positioned between the ribbon and the base of the channel-shaped member permits the ribbon to be simply and readily stripped from the channel-shaped member once the package is inserted into the ribbon cartridge housing. A tearaway wrapper, which encircles the channel-shaped member and the ribbon serves to loosely hold the ribbon fanfold portion to prevent any creasing. The package is designed to be placed into the ribbon cartridge housing to simplify the installation operation and eliminate handling of the ribbon portion inserted into the ribbon cartridge housing. 
     The package may be boxed or inserted within a plastic tray having a lid heat sealed to the tray flange. 
     Instructions may be printed upon the enclosure package, the tear strip, or upon a separate insertion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Inked ribbons are typically employed in impact printers and are adapted to be impacted by the print member against the printing medium, which is typically a paper web, to transfer ink to the printing medium in the form of the print member inpacting the ribbon against the printing medium.

Traditionally, printers have been provided with a ribbon supply reel and a ribbon take-up reel. An inked ribbon is unwound from a supply reel and is wound upon a take-up reel. The supply and take-up reels are positioned so that the ribbon extends across the print region, and a drive mechanism is employed to rotate either the take-up reel or both the supply and take-up reels during printing so as to continuously move fresh ribbon in front of the printing members.

Mechanisms have also been provided to reverse the direction of rotation of the supply and take-up reels such that when the ribbon is substantially and completely unwound from the supply reel and substantially completely wound about the take-up reel, the mechanism reverses the direction of rotation of the reels, thereby reversing the functions of the supply and take-up reels.

Efforts to simplify the operating mechanism required and also to simplify the replacement of an exhausted ribbon with a fresh ribbon have led to the development of ribbon cartridges. One such cartridge is comprised of a housing containing both the supply and take-up reels. The housing is inserted upon the printer, and the ribbon portion extending between the supply and take-up reels is threaded through a ribbon guiding mechanism so as to pass in front of the print member. Although cartridges of this type simplify removal and replacement operations, mechanisms are still nevertheless required to reverse direction of movement of the reels.

The shortcomings of the last-described cartridges have led to the development of cartridges employing a Mobius Loop ribbon which is a closed continuous loop of inked ribbon folded over on itself for the purpose of providing for more complete usage of the ribbon surface without the need for a reversing operation, thereby eliminating the need for a mechanism which reverses rotation of the ribbon reels. Efforts to eliminate the need for spools in ribbon-cartridge devices have led to the development of the stuffing box cartridge which employs a Mobius Loop ribbon which passes through an outlet slot in the cartridge, extends about the ribbon guide means so as to pass in front of the print member or members, and returns to the ribbon cartridge housing through an inlet opening provided in the ribbon cartridge housing in order to be stuffed into the housing interior, typically in a random pattern.

Although ribbon cartridges of the stuffing-box type are extremely useful, it has nevertheless been found that their ribbon capacities are limited, and by arranging ribbon within the cartridge housing in a full fanfold manner, it is possible to significantly increase the amount of ribbon which may be stored therein. However, prior to the advent of the present invention, no satisfactory replacement package was available for simply and readily inserting replacement ribbons of increased ribbon length into ribbon cartridge housing to obtain reliable, trouble-free operation.

The present-day replacement ribbon is comprised of a Mobius Loop ribbon wound into a spiral coil, with the twisted-over portion being arranged at the outermost loop of the coil.

The ribbon cartridge housing which receives the ribbon is rectangular in shape and has a removable cover. The cover is lifted, and the coiled ribbon is placed within the cartridge housing. The free end of the coiled ribbon is removed from the housing and placed about the ribbon guide means and through the ribbon inlet and outlet slots provided in the ribbon cartridge housing. The ribbon is then stuffed into the housing in fanfold fashion by roller means. Folds of the inked ribbon stuffed into the cartridge housing press against the portion of the ribbon being uncoiled are sandwiched between the uncoiled ribbon portion and the housing sidewalls causing one or more of the ribbon fanfolds to be fed out of the outlet slot which is undesirable, since it causes uneven feedings and further serves to cause a creasing and tearing of the ribbon.

The diameter of the coiled ribbon of a length equal to the ribbon capacity of the ribbon cartridge housing is greater than the inner diameter of the ribbon cartridge housing. In order to insert the coiled ribbon into the ribbon cartridge housing, the coiled ribbon must be squeezed together to fit into the housing. Upon release of the ribbon, the ribbon coil expands and is urged against opposite sidewalls of the housing, creating a friction or drag which works against the smooth feeding of the ribbon causing the ribbon to feed in a very nonuniform manner and, in some cases, causing the ribbon to jam. Also, the installation operation requires the operator to handle the portion of the ribbon to be inserted into the housing which is a messy job. To date, the only effective technique to remedy this problem is to reduce the overall length of the ribbon, thereby reducing the diameter of the coiled ribbon. This solution, however, requires the use of a ribbon of less capacity than can otherwise be accommodated within the ribbon cartridge housing necessitating more frequent ribbon replacement operations. Also, due to the nonuniform feeding of the ribbon, the ribbon often develops creases or sharp folds which may catch upon the printing elements which serve to prevent the ribbon from advancing, and in the event that ribbon advancement is halted, the printing elements may repeatedly impact against the same portion of the ribbon, causing the ribbon to tear and thereby requiring premature replacement of an otherwise usable ribbon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is characterized by providing a novel ribbon replacement package which overcomes all of the disadvantages of the replacement ribbon pack which are presently in use through the employment of a Mobius Loop ribbon arranged within the package in full fanfold fashion to facilitate insertion and feeding of the ribbon within a ribbon cartridge housing, while at the same time providing a significant increase in the length of ribbon which may be so inserted into the ribbon cartridge housing without jamming.

The package of the present invention is comprised of a semirigid channel-shaped member preferably formed of a thin lightweight plastic. A semirigid plastic sheet, serving as a stripper member, is positioned within the channel-shaped member, and the fanfolds of the Mobius Loop ribbon are placed within the channel-shaped member and upon the stripper member. The free loop of ribbon is arranged to extend about the exterior of the channel-shaped member. The base of the channel-shaped member has a centrally-located opening to provide access to the stripper sheet.

A thin gauge tearaway wrapper strip, preferably formed of a limp plastic material, loosely encircles the channel-shaped member, the stripper member, and the fanfolds of the ribbon and holds the fanfolds in a somewhat loose fashion to prevent the ribbon from being creased during storing or handling. Installation instructions may be printed directly upon the tearaway wrapper or on a separate insert sheet. The tearaway wrapper is sealed upon itself and is provided with a free end flap which may be gripped to tear away the wrapper from the package.

A fresh ribbon is inserted into the ribbon cartridge housing by lifting the cartridge housing cover lid, removing the exhausted ribbon and placing the entire replacement ribbon package into the ribbon cartridge housing with the open end of the channel-shaped member facing downwardly. The tearaway strip is then peeled away from the package and removed. By inserting a finger through the opening in the channel-shaped member, the channel-shaped member may then be lifted while holding the stripper plate down to prevent lifting of the fanfolds from the ribbon cartridge housing. The stripper plate is then simply lifted upwardly from its position resting upon the top of the fanfold portion of the ribbon. The free loop of ribbon extending around the exterior of the channel-shaped member is threaded through the ribbon guide means of the printer, and the cover of the ribbon cartridge housing is closed, completing the installation operation.

By arranging the ribbon in full fanfold fashion, the amount of ribbon provided in the package can be doubled over that which may be utilized in the coiled ribbon package previously mentioned hereinabove and is also a significant increase over the amount of ribbon capable of being stored in a random fold ribbon cartridge housing of the stuffing-box type. The full fanfold arrangement also substantially eliminates the possibility of improper feeding and/or creasing of the ribbon during operation of the printer.

The replacement ribbon package may be housed within a box such as, for example, a paper, plastic, or cardboard box, or may alternatively be housed within a tray-shaped member of lightweight plastic having a limp thin-gauge plastic sheet serving as a cover, which sheet is preferably fused to the upper lip of the tray. As an alternative, the ribbon installation instructions may be printed directly upon the cover sheet of the tray-shaped enclosure.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

One object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon replacement package adapted to be placed into a ribbon cartridge housing during installation of a fresh ribbon to greatly simplify the installation operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel replacement ribbon package comprised of housing means for protecting a ribbon stored therein in full fanfold fashion, and which is designed with a stripper plate to facilitate stripping of the package from the ribbon after installation of the package into a ribbon cartridge housing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel replacement ribbon package for use in ribbon cartridge assemblies and the like and having a tearaway strip for loosely holding the fanfolds of the ribbon within the package during storage and which is adapted to be simply and readily removed from the package after insertion of the package into the ribbon cartridge housing.

One other object of the present invention is to provide a novel ribbon replacement cartridge for use with printers and the like having ribbon cartridge assemblies and including thin, lightweight packaging means of sufficient strength to protect the ribbon during storage and being adapted to be readily stripped from the ribbon after insertion of the package into a ribbon cartridge housing.

The above, as well as other objects of the present invention, will become apparent with the reading of the accompanying description and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a replacement ribbon package designed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of a ribbon cartridge housing in the manner in which the replacement ribbon package is inserted therein.

FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c are top, side, and end views, respectively, of the channel-shaped member and stripper plate employed in the replacement ribbon package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3b is a view of the channel-shaped member and stripper plate looking in the direction of arrows 3b--3b of FIG. 3a. FIG. 3c is a view of the channel-shaped member and stripper plate looking in the direction of arrows 3c--3c of FIG. 3b.

FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c are side elevation, end elevation and top plan views, respectively, of the assembled package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4d shows a perspective view of one alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

FIG. 1 shows a replacement ribbon package 10 comprised of a ribbon 11, a channel-shaped member 12, and a stripper plate 13. A tearaway wrapper 14 serves to loosely hold the fanfold portions of the ribbon 11 (to be more fully described) within the package 10 without creasing or otherwise damaging the ribbon 11. The above-mentioned elements are housed within tray 15, whose open end is covered with a thin cover sheet 16, preferably heat sealed to the upper flange 15a of tray 15.

As shown best in FIGS. 3a through 3c, channel-shaped member 12 is comprised of a base portion 12a, and two downwardly-depending arms or flaps 12b and 12c which join the base portion 12a at the bends 12e and 12d, respectively. The base portion 12a of channel-shaped member 12 is provided with a central opening 12f.

As can best be seen from FIG. 3a, the base portion 12a of channel-shaped member 12 is rectangular in shape. Stripper plate 13 is also rectangular in shape and rests upon the interior surface of base portion 12a in the manner shown best in FIGS. 3b and 3c. The length of stripper plate 13 is substantially equal to the length of base portion 12a, while the width of stripper plate 13 is slightly less than the width of base portion 12a to permit the stripper plate 13 to be positioned to rest against the interior surface of base portion 12a in the manner shown best in FIGS. 3b and 3c.

The channel-shaped member 12 and stripper plate 13 are preferably formed of relatively thin-gauge, lightweight and yet sturdy plastic material so as to be semirigid in order to provide an enclosure of sufficient strength to protect the ribbon 11 from being creased or damaged during storage. In one preferred embodiment, the stripper plate 13 and channel-shaped member 12 are formed of styrene having a thickness in the range of 0.015 to 0.025 inches and preferably 0.020 inches. Obviously, any other materials exhibiting the characteristics of styrene may be employed with equal success.

The ribbon 11 is an elongated Mobius Loop ribbon, wherein one end of the ribbon 11 is twisted and joined to an opposite end, the twist, for example, being shown at position 11a in FIG. 1. In one preferred embodiment, the total length of the ribbon 11 is 20 yards. The ribbon 11 is arranged within the channel-shaped member 12 and is supported by stripper plate 13, as shown best in FIGS. 4a through 4c. The ribbon 11 is arranged in full fanfold fashion in such a manner that alternate loose folds or loops preferably extend substantially to the interior surface of each of the flanges or flaps 12c and 12b. For example, loose fold 11b lies adjacent the interior surface of flap 12c, loose fold 11c lies adjacent to flap 12b, loose fold 11d lies adjacent to flap 12c, loose fold 11e lies adjacent to flap 12b, and so forth. The full fanfold arrangement extends from one end of the channel-shaped member 12 to the other, and preferably all loops are arranged in close proximity to an associated one of the flaps 12b and 12c.

A portion of the continuous Mobius Loop ribbon 11 extends beyond the opposite ends of the channel-shaped member 12 and more specifically beyond the opposite ends of flap 12c, so that a length of ribbon 11 including the twisted portion 11a lies outside of the package 10 in the manner shown best in FIGS. 1 and 4a.

The fanfold portion of the Mobius Loop ribbon 11 is retained in position within the channel-shaped member 12 by means of tearaway strip 14, which is comprised of an elongated substantially rectangular-shaped sheet, preferably formed of a thin-gauge plastic material. In one preferred embodiment, the strip 14 is formed of polyethylene having a thickness in the range from 0.002 to 0.004 inches and preferably of 0.003 inch thickness. A first end of this strip 14, starting with edge 14a, is laid upon the outer surface of base portion 12a, as shown best in FIG. 4a. The strip 14 extends over the length of the base portion 12a and is curved about the right-hand end of base portion 12a, as shown in 14b, and extends between base portion 12a so as to embrace the fanfold portion 11f of the Mobius Loop ribbon 11. The tearaway strip 14 extends beneath the entire fanfold portion 11f and is bent around and over the left-half end of base portion 12a, as shown at 14c, so that a portion 14d of the tearaway strip rests upon the left-hand end 14a of the tearaway strip 14 previously placed upon the exterior surface of channel-shaped member base portion 12a. The tearaway strip 14 is secured in the region where it overlaps upon itself, preferably by a heat-sealing operation. The shaded regions 14g, 14h of FIG. 1 represent the locations where the tearaway strip 14 has been fused to itself, preferably by a spot heat-sealing operation. The free end 14f of the tearaway strip 14 is of a length sufficient to serve as a pull tab for facilitating gripping by an operator to quickly and easily remove the strip 14 from the package 10 after it has been installed within a ribbon cartridge assembly, as will be more fully described.

FIG. 2 shows a ribbon cartridge assembly 20 comprised of sidewalls 21 and 22, rear end wall 23 and a front end wall 24 provided with a pair of rollers 25 and 26 cooperatively adapted to stuff the ribbon 11 into the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, as will be more fully described.

Rear end wall 23 is provided with a slot 23a for allowing the ribbon 11 to be moved out of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, while ribbon 11 enters into the forward end of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 by passing between rollers 25 and 26. Although not shown for purposes of simplicity, it should be understood that the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 is provided with a cover lid for fully enclosing the ribbon 11 within the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, said cover lid having a configuration substantially conforming to the configuration of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 shown in FIG. 2. A more detailed description of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 is set forth in the Technical Manual entitled "Model 700 Printer", copyright June, 1977 by Centronics Data Computer Corp., detailed information relating to the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 being set forth at pages 3-2, 3-3, and 3-10. Further details of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 will therefore be omitted herein as being beyond the scope of the present invention.

The roller 25, as described in the above-mentioned Technical Manual, is driven by a drive shaft 27 which extends through the center of the shaft 25a, upon which roller 25 is mounted. Shaft 25a is rotatably supported by arm 25b. Roller 26 is free-wheelingly mounted upon shaft 26a which is supported within a support arm 26b and which is adapted to be resiliently urged toward the left so as to establish firm rolling engagement with roller 25. This is accomplished by moving swingably-mounted lever arm 28 to the solid line position shown in FIG. 2 in order to operate upon a resilient member (not shown) described in the aforementioned Technical Manual. By rotating lever arm 28 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown by arrow A1, the roller 26 is moved into rolling engagement with roller 25. By moving lever 28 in a clockwise direction, as shown by arrow A2, back to the position shown in FIG. 2, the roller 26 is moved out of rolling engagement with roller 25, as shown in FIG. 2 to facilitate insertion and/or removal of a ribbon 11.

Installation of a fresh ribbon 11 is performed in the following manner:

The lid (not shown) of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 is removed from the assembly 20 to expose the depleted ribbon 11 (not shown). Lever 28 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 2 in order to separate rollers 25 and 26. The depleted ribbon 11 contained within the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 is removed by lifting the depleted ribbon 11 out of the assembly 20 and out of the slot 23a and out from between rollers 25 and 26. Although not shown, it should further be understood that the loop of ribbon 11 extending outside of the assembly 20 should be lifted away from the guide members (not shown) which guide the ribbon 11, so as to pass in front of the print member. This is shown, for example, on pages 3-2 and 3-6 of the aforementioned Centronics' Technical Manual.

Once the depleted ribbon 11 has been removed from the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, the thin cover sheet 16 is peeled away from tray 15, and the entire ribbon replacement package 10, comprised of channel-shaped member 12, stripper plate 13, ribbon 11, and tearaway strip 14, is removed from tray 15 and is inserted into the interior of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, in a manner shown in FIG. 2, so that the free end 14f of the tearaway strip 14 is arranged to extend upwardly and out of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 and so that the base portion 12a of the channel-shaped member 12 is slightly higher than the upper ends of the ribbon cartridge housing sidewalls 21, 22 and with the flaps 12b and 12c of the channel-shaped member 12 extending downwardly into the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, so that their free ends rest upon the floor 29 of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20.

The free loop of ribbon 11, extending outside of the replacement ribbon package 10, is threaded through outlet opening 23a at the lower end and is threaded between the separated rollers 25 and 26, as shown in FIG. 2. The remaining portion of the loop is arranged about the ribbon guide members (not shown for purposes of simplicity) so as to properly position the ribbon 11, especially with respect to the printing position which is shown, for example, in detail in the aforementioned Centronics' Model 700 Printer Technical Manual.

With the ribbon package 10 positioned in the manner described, the free portion 14f of the tearaway strip 14 forms a tab which is grasped by the operator and pulled upwardly, so as to release the fused portions 14g and 14h of the strip 14. The edges of the channel-shaped member 12 may then be gripped by the fingers in the positions shown by arrows F1 and F2, so as to hold the channel-shaped member 12 within the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 while pulling tab 14f upwardly and away from the ribbon cartridge assembly 20. Once the strip 14 is completely removed from the package 10 and the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, the operator places a finger (or any other suitable instrument) through the opening 12f in channel-shaped member 12 so that the finger rests upon the upper exposed surface of stripper plate 13. With the fingers positioned at the locations of arrows F1 and F2, or any other suitable locations, the channel-shaped member 12 is lifted upwardly and out of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 at the same time that the ribbon 11 is held in position within the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 by applying a light pressure to the stripper plate 13 to allow the channel-shaped member 12 to be lifted outwardly and away from the ribbon 11 and the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 without having the fanfold portion 11f of the ribbon 11 lifted upwardly with the channel-shaped member 12 due to any frictional engagement between one or more of the fanfold 11b--11e and the adjacent interior surfaces of flaps 12b and 12c.

Once the channel-shaped member 12 has been removed from the ribbon 11 and the cartridge assembly 20, the stripper plate 13 need simply be lifted away from the top of the ribbon fanfold portion 11f and the cover of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 may be replaced, thereby completing the installation operation.

As was described hereinabove, the replacement ribbon package is stored within a tray 15, which is preferably vacuum formed from a suitable plastic material and being of a relatively thin gauge, although thick enough to have inherent structural strength to protect the ribbon 11 housed therein against crushing. For example, the tray 15 has more than sufficient structural strength to permit stacking of trays 15 one upon the other without causing a collapse or crushing of any of the bottommost trays 15 in such a stack.

The tray 15 is provided with a continuous outwardly extending flange 15a arranged about its four sides and adapted to engage the marginal portion of a thin limp plastic sheet 16 which may be adhered to flange 15a with either a suitable adhesive to which sheet 16 may be heat sealed about its margin to flange 15a.

In one preferred embodiment, the instructions for insertion of a fresh ribbon 11 into a ribbon cartridge assembly 20 may be printed on the exposed surface of base portion 12a, as shown at 35 in FIG. 1, may be printed on the portion of the tear strip 14 resting upon the exposed surface of base portion 12a also as shown at 35 in FIG. 1, or may be printed upon the cover sheet 16 sealed to the flange 15a of tray 15 as shown at 35' in FIG. 1.

As another alternative arrangement, the ribbon replacement package 10 may be housed within a paper or cardboard carton or a bag with the instructions provided thereon. For example, the plastic bag may be provided with a header having instructions printed thereon. As a further alternative embodiment, the instructions may be printed on a separate sheet 30, as shown in FIG. 4d, which sheet 30 may be either stiff paper or light cardboard which is bent to form folds 30a and 30b, thereby dividing the sheet 30 into a center portion 30c, an upper flap 30d, and a lower flap 30e. The folded sheet 30 is arranged so that central portion 30c rests upon the exterior surface of base portion 12a and so that downwardly depending flap 30e rests against flap 12b of the channel-shaped member 12. The flap 30e may be adhered to flap 12b by means of a suitable adhesive, which may be applied, for example, as a plurality of longitudinal stripes, the ends of said stripes 31 being visible in FIG. 4d. The instructions may be placed upon the exterior surface of flap 30d, as shown at 35", or upon the interior surface thereof. Base portion 30c of the folded sheet 30 may be lifted to facilitate gripping and removal of tearaway strip 14 and to gain access to opening 12f in base portion 12a to permit the stripper plate 13 to be held in place while the channel-shaped member 12 is lifted out of the ribbon cartridge assembly 20, as was set forth hereinabove in the description of the ribbon installation operation. When using the embodiment of FIG. 4d, the instruction sheet 30 is so arranged that it need not be removed from the replacement ribbon package 10 during installation of the package 10 into ribbon cartridge assembly 20. However, the instruction sheet 30 may be removed from the package 10 by the operator prior to insertion into cartridge assembly 20, depending only upon the preferences of the operator.

The folded flap 30d preferably rests upon the tear strip 14 when it is in position in the housing, i.e., tray 15.

Since the tear strip 14 is preferably formed of a limp transparent plastic, the instructions 35 may be printed upon the exterior surface of flap 30d and be viewed directly through the tear strip 14.

As can best be seen in FIG. 4a, the tearaway strip 14 encircles the package 10 and is arranged to loosely hold the fanfold portion 11f of the ribbon 11 to prevent any portions of the ribbon 11 contained in channel-shaped member 12 from being pressed together to the point where a permanent crease may form therein. Thus, when properly assembled, if the replacement ribbon package 10 is held in the manner shown in FIG. 4a, the ribbon 11 can be seen to droop slightly indicating that the tearaway strip 14 is mounted properly. However, it should be understood that the package 10, as shown in FIG. 4a, is normally retained within the tray housing 15 or within other suitable packaging means, such as a cardboard box, until the ribbon 11 is to be installed into a ribbon cartridge assembly 20, so that the ribbon 11 does not suffer any harmful effects due to the loosely-fitted tearaway strip 14.

By having each of the folds 11b--11e of the fanfold ribbon portion of ribbon 11 extend to each interior sidewall surface of the channel flaps 12b and 12c, it has been found that it is possible to significantly increase the length of ribbon 11 which may be inserted within the ribbon cartridge assembly 20. In addition thereto, the full fanfold arrangement further assures smooth and substantially jam-proof feeding of the ribbon 11. By loosely gathering the fanfold portion 11b--11e of the ribbon 11 with the tear away strip 14, the fanfold portion 11b--11e and ribbon 11 is prevented from being bent or creased to assure smooth feeding of the ribbon 11. A detailed description of the full fanfold arrangement and the manner of feeding same within a ribbon cartridge assembly 20 is set forth in copending application Ser. No. 912,077 filed June 5, 1978, in the name of Samuel Y. Hanna and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

From a consideration of FIG. 2, it can be seen that the replacement ribbon package 10 may be easily fitted within the cartridge assembly 20 and occupies almost all of the interior space within the cartridge assembly 20. It is thus possible to utilize a ribbon 11 of greater length than that used in previous ribbon replacement packages. For example, the ribbon cartridge assembly 20 of FIG. 2 is capable of storing 20 linear yards of ribbon 11 when the ribbon 11 is stored therein in full fanfold fashion. For a ribbon replacement package of the coiled-ribbon type described above, the diameter of the coiled ribbon is significantly greater than the width of the cartridge assembly 20 measured between sidewalls 21 and 22. As a result, the coiled ribbon must be squeezed together to be inserted into the ribbon cartridge housing. The friction between the interengaging surfaces of the ribbon and the sidewalls 21 and 22 serve to greatly hinder the feeding of the ribbon and often causes the ribbon to jam. As a result, replacement ribbon packages of the coil type have been limited to use of a coiled ribbon having a linear length of 10 yards. With the present invention, a replacement ribbon package 10 having a ribbon length of 20 yards may be utilized, thereby significantly reducing the frequency of ribbon replacement.

While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it will be understood that the description was by way of example only and that numerous variations and modifications, as may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, can be mde without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed. For example, the tearaway strip 14, instead of being fused to itself, may be adhered at one or two locations directly to the exposed surface of the central portion 12a of the channel-shaped member 12, leaving at least one free end 14f capable of being gripped by the operator for quick removal thereof. The channel-shaped member 12, stripper 13, and tearaway strip 14 may be made of paper or any other suitable material. Other modifications are also obvious without departing from the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A replacement ribbon package for use in printers having a ribbon cartridge housing and an associated printing element, said replacement ribbon package comprising:a first package member having a flat substantially rigid central portion and at least a pair of sidewalls extending downwardly from opposing sides of said substantially rigid central portion; a second package member comprising a tearaway strip at least partially encircling said substantially rigid central portion while exposing said sidewalls, whereby said substantially rigid central portion, said sidewalls and said tearaway strip cooperatively form a ribbon encircling enclosure; an elongated closed loop inked ribbon, positioned within and maintained by said ribbon encircling enclosure formed by said first and second package members in a loosely arranged fashion to aid in preventing said ribbon from being creased, a small portion of said ribbon extending outside of said ribbon encircling enclosure to facilitate placement of the ribbon about said printing element; said tearaway strip including releasable means for releasably securing said tearaway strip about said ribbon and said first package member to facilitate sliding of said tearaway strip out from beneath the ribbon after insertion of the replacement ribbon package into a ribbon cartridge housing and releasing of said releasable means; a substantially flat stripper plate positioned between said ribbon and said substantially rigid central portion to facilitate separation of said ribbon from said first package member after removal of said tearaway strip; and said substantially rigid central portion having an opening to expose a central portion of said stripper plate whereby said first package member may be lifted away from said ribbon and out of the cartridge housing while said ribbon is held down by said stripper plate.
 2. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said ribbon forms a mobius loop.
 3. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said ribbon is arranged in an orderly fanfold fashion in said ribbon encircling enclosure.
 4. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said first package member comprises a channel member having a substantially U-shaped cross-section defined by said flat substantially rigid central portion and said pair of sidewalls extending from opposite sides of said central portion along respective fold lines and each sidewall being movable about its respective fold line relative to said central portion; the loose arrangement of the ribbon positioned within said channel member comprising an undulating pattern defining a plurality of loose folds forming loops, alternate ones of said loops extending toward one of said sidewalls and the remaining ones of said loops extending towards the remaining one of said sidewalls.
 5. The replacement ribbon package of claim 4 wherein a substantial majority of said loops engage said sidewalls.
 6. The replacement ribbon package of claim 4 further comprising an instruction sheet having instructions thereon joined to one of said sidewalls and folded over said first package member substantially rigid central portion of said channel member and said tearaway strip to facilitate reading of said instructions and being movable away from said tearaway strip so as not to interfere with the installation of the replacement ribbon package into said ribbon cartridge housing.
 7. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said first package member is formed of a lightweight relatively thin gauge material wherein the said material and the thickness of the material are chosen to provide a semi-rigid first package member which has sufficient structural strength to undergo flexing and to return to its flat shape after having been flexed.
 8. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said stripper plate is formed of a lightweight relatively thin gauge material wherein the said material and the thickness of the material are chosen to provide a semi-rigid stripper plate which has sufficient structural strength to retain a flat shape.
 9. The ribbon replacement package of claim 1 wherein said tearaway strip is formed of a limp lightweight plastic material.
 10. The ribbon replacement package of claim 1 wherein at least one portion of said tearaway strip is releasably secured to said package at a location spaced inwardly from the adjacent end of said strip to provide a tab which may be gripped to pull said strip away from said package.
 11. The ribbon replacement package of claim 1 wherein at least one portion of said strip is releasably secured to another portion of said strip at a location spaced inwardly from the adjacent end of said strip to provide a tab which may be gripped to pull said strip away from said package.
 12. The ribbon replacement package of claim 11 wherein said releasably secured portions of said strip are fused together by means of heat sealing, said fused portions being small in area, said areas being chosen to provide sufficient holding strength for retaining said ribbon and said substantially rigid central portion within said strip and being sufficiently weak to permit said fused portions to be peeled apart when said tab is pulled away from said package with only a light pulling force.
 13. The ribbon replacement package of claim 1 including housing means comprised of a tray having an open end and a base portion and sidewalls extending upwardly from said base portion towards said open end to form a recess for receiving said ribbon replacement package;and a thin flexible cover sheet completely sealing the open end of said tray.
 14. The package of claim 13 wherein the upper ends of the sidewalls of said tray are bent outwardly to form a continuous mounting lip for receiving and supporting said cover sheet; and means for releasably securing the marginal portion of said cover sheet to said lip.
 15. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said tearaway strip loosely encircles said substantially rigid central portion and said ribbon to prevent the ribbon from being creased and to facilitate removal of said tearaway strip from said substantially rigid central portion.
 16. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said tearaway strip releasable means comprises a tab for severing said tearaway strip when said tab is pulled.
 17. The replacement ribbon package of claim 1 wherein said tearaway strip is an elongated strip having a length sufficient to loosely encircle said ribbon and having a width substantially equal to the width of said first package member.
 18. A replacement ribbon package for use in printers having a ribbon cartridge housing and an associated printing element, said replacement ribbon package comprising:a first package member having a flat substantially rigid central portion and at least a pair of sidewalls extending downwardly from opposing sides of said substantially rigid central portion to provide first and second openings between the first and second ends of said sidewalls; a second package member comprising a tearaway strip at least partially encircling said substantially rigid central portion and said first and second openings while exposing said sidewalls, whereby said substantially rigid central portion, said sidewalls and said tearaway strip cooperatively form a ribbon encircling enclosure; an elongated closed loop inked ribbon, positioned within and maintained by said ribbon encircling enclosure formed by said first and second package members in a loosely arranged fashion to aid in preventing said ribbon from being creased, a small portion of said ribbon extending through said first and second openings and outside of said ribbon encircling enclosure to facilitate placement of the small portion of said ribbon about said printing element; said tearaway strip including releasable means for releasably securing said tearaway strip about said ribbon and said first package member to facilitate sliding of said tearaway strip out from beneath the ribbon after insertion of the replacement ribbon package into a ribbon cartridge housing and releasing of said releasable means, whereby said first package member may be lifted away from said ribbon and out of the cartridge housing without disturbing the arrangement of said ribbon enclosed in said first package member.
 19. A method for loading a ribbon package into a cartridge assembly for housing said ribbon package, said ribbon package comprising a first substantially rigid package member having a central portion and at least a pair of downwardly extending sidewalls; and a tearaway strip at least partially encircling said substantially rigid package member to define an enclosure region in said ribbon package forming a covering for an opening in said first substantially rigid package member and a ribbon loosely arranged within said enclosure region and having a small portion of said ribbon extending outside of said ribbon package and a stripper plate arranged between said ribbon and said substantially rigid package member, said central portion having an access hole for exposing said stripper plate; and said cartridge assembly comprising a cartridge housing having a floor and inlet and outlet openings on opposite sides of said floor, said method comprising the steps of:inserting said ribbon package into said cartridge housing with the opening in said first substantially rigid package member facing the floor of said cartridge housing; threading said small portion of ribbon through said inlet and outlet openings so that said small portion of ribbon extends about an exterior portion of the cartridge housing; severing said tearaway strip; pulling upon one end of said tearaway strip to pull said tearaway strip out from beneath said ribbon and out of said cartridge housing while retaining said substantially rigid package member in said cartridge housing; lifting said substantially rigid package member upwardly and away from said ribbon and out of said cartridge housing, while holding down said stripper plate to facilitate removal of the first substantially rigid package member and thereby prevent the ribbon from being lifted from said cartridge housing; and lifting said stripper plate from said ribbon. 